Celebrating Freedom and Independence

A few weeks ago, writing the newsletter at Morning Chalk Up HQ in Santa Ana, CA I realized that three of the bullet points in our community section that day were fundraisers for either fallen law enforcement officers or first responders.

When I pointed it out to Justin, he nodded and said that we always had a lot of them.

Daily.

And in each instance it is a CrossFit box, pulling an event together to help remember someone who died serving their community.

It’s a natural relationship, seeing as CrossFit has a long-standing history with law enforcement and with the military. CrossFit Repentance is housed inside the Waterford Fire Department in Waterford, WI. The U.S. Army just formed a competitive CrossFit team. The Marine Corps partnered with CrossFit for the 2018 CrossFit Games, bringing us the event “Battleground.”

Maj. Gen. James Bierman, the commanding general of Marine Corps Recruiting Command, writes, “From the very beginning, the cultures of the Marine Corps and CrossFit have aligned perfectly. As Marines, we don’t know what to expect, so we work hard — train hard — physically and mentally, so we can thrive in situations of uncertainty, and that is exactly what CrossFit athletes are all about.”

There’s an idiom: You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready. It’s the type of thing you’d see on a shirt, but it’s true. And today, while we are out watching fireworks, watching our kids faces light up with joy, eating bbq and laughing over drinks with friends, there are law enforcement officers and firefighters and paramedics and service men and women who don’t have the day off. Instead, they are working. They are ready.

And tomorrow, when we all head back into the box for our WOD, if we’re all fortunate enough you’ll see them there too. Just getting off their shift, tired, bleary eyed, but there anyway. They will stay ready because freedom doesn’t take a vacation.